but every time we began to form teams, we would
be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that
we tend to meet new situations by reorganizing, and
what a wonderful method it can be for creating the
illusion of progress while producing confusion,
inefficiency, and demoralization."
&nbsp -- Petronius Arbiter &nbsp~
60 AD

Later in the conversation, Gilbert recorded Goering's
observations that the common people can always be manipulated
into supporting and fighting wars by their political leaders:

We got around to the subject of war again and I said that,
contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common
people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and
destruction.

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering
shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his
life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come
back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people
don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America,
nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after
all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy
and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along,
whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a
Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."

There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy
the people have some say in the matter through their elected
representatives, and in the United States only Congress can
declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the
people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That
is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked
and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing
the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

... However, if the goal is an all-purpose excuse for various
wars, the vagueness of "war on terror" makes perfect sense. As a
warblogger might say, "It's not a bug, it's a feature!"
(Holmquist)